Modified ply drops for composite laminate materials

Abstract

Composite laminate materials include a plurality of fiber-reinforced internal plies stacked one on top of the other, at least one of the internal plies being configured as a terminated ply, a fiber-reinforced cover ply positioned over the stack of internal plies so as to define an outer covering of the composite laminate material, and, a ply drop defined by the terminated ply, wherein the ply drop includes a single non-perpendicular asymmetrical protrusion extending across a width of the terminated ply.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite laminate material comprising:
 a plurality of fiber-reinforced internal plies stacked one on top of the other, at least one of the internal plies being configured as a terminated ply;   a fiber-reinforced cover ply positioned over the stack of internal plies so as to define an outer covering of the composite laminate material; and,   a ply drop defined by the terminated ply, the ply drop comprising a single non-perpendicular asymmetrical protrusion extending across a width of the terminated ply.   
     
     
         2 . The composite laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the single non-perpendicular protrusion comprises an arced asymmetrical protrusion. 
     
     
         3 . The composite laminate material of  claim 2 , wherein the arced asymmetrical protrusion has a tapered height. 
     
     
         4 . The composite laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the single non-perpendicular asymmetrical protrusion comprises an angled linear asymmetrical protrusion. 
     
     
         5 . The composite laminate material of  claim 4 , wherein the angled linear asymmetrical protrusion has a tapered height. 
     
     
         6 . The composite laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the single non-perpendicular asymmetrical protrusion extends a depth greater than the width of the terminated ply. 
     
     
         7 . The composite laminate material of  claim 1  further comprising a second ply drop defined by one of the plurality of fiber-reinforced internal plies, wherein the second ply drop includes at least one protrusion extending across at least a portion of a second ply drop width. 
     
     
         8 . The composite laminate material of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one protrusion comprises a second single non-perpendicular asymmetrical protrusion. 
     
     
         9 . The composite laminate material of  claim 1 , wherein the single non-perpendicular protrusion extends a depth into the terminated ply of greater than about 10 mm. 
     
     
         10 . A wind turbine rotor blade comprising:
 a composite laminate material at least partially extending between a first end and a second end of the wind turbine rotor blade, the composite laminate material comprising:
 a plurality of fiber-reinforced internal plies stacked one on top of the other, at least one of the internal plies being configured as a terminated ply; 
   a fiber-reinforced cover ply positioned over the stack of internal plies so as to define an outer covering of the composite laminate material; and,
 a ply drop defined by the terminated ply, the ply drop comprising a single non-perpendicular asymmetrical protrusion extending across a width of the terminated ply. 
   
     
     
         11 . A composite laminate material comprising:
 a plurality of fiber-reinforced internal plies stacked one on top of the other, at least one of the fiber-reinforced internal plies being configured as a terminated ply;   a fiber-reinforced cover ply positioned over the stack of internal plies so as to define an outer covering of the composite laminate material;   a first ply drop defined by the terminated ply, the first ply drop including at least one curved protrusion extending across at least a first portion of a terminated ply width; and,   a second ply drop defined by one of the other plurality of fiber-reinforced internal plies, the second ply drop also including at least one curved protrusion extending across at least a second portion of a second ply drop width.   
     
     
         12 . The composite laminate material of  claim 11 , wherein the second ply drop is adjacent to the first ply drop. 
     
     
         13 . The composite laminate material of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one curved protrusion of the first ply drop and the at least one curved protrusion of the second ply drop comprise the same shape. 
     
     
         14 . The composite laminate material of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one curved protrusion of the second ply drop has a greater depth than the at least one curved protrusion of the first ply drop. 
     
     
         15 . The composite laminate material of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one curved protrusion of the first ply drop and the at least one curved protrusion of the second ply drop both have a tapered height. 
     
     
         16 . The composite laminate material of  claim 11 , wherein the first ply drop comprises a plurality of curved protrusions. 
     
     
         17 . The composite laminate material of  claim 16 , wherein the second ply drop also comprises a plurality of curved protrusions. 
     
     
         18 . The composite laminate material of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one curved protrusion of the first ply drop comprises a depth to width ratio of greater than about 1:1. 
     
     
         19 . The composite laminate material of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one curved protrusion of the second ply drop has a depth to width ration of greater than about 1:1. 
     
     
         20 . The composite laminate material of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one curved protrusion of the first ply drop extends a depth into the terminated ply of greater than about 10 mm.